


Late Night

by SirFangirl



Category: Resident Evil - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Gen, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, good company is better than drowning your trauma in alcohol, i tried to make this either romantic or platonic depending on how you want to view it, this is sometime after re2 but also before re4 so yeah
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-28
Updated: 2019-04-04
Packaged: 2019-11-27 13:45:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,229
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18195368
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SirFangirl/pseuds/SirFangirl
Summary: At 2:31 A.M., Leon Kennedy goes to a convenience store.





	1. Chapter 1

A chilling wind whistles through the once-busy streets. Leon runs through these streets, dodging abandoned cars and piles of garbage. He was separated from his team, and he's only just gotten their location. Without Leon, the monsters behind this madness will continue harming innocent people and destroying the world as they know it. So, he runs and runs until he sees the brick building ahead of him. Not even bothering to check if it's locked, Leon rushes through the door. 

Leon expected it to be dark when he first walked in. It's not, however, and Leon wishes it was. Somehow, he's back in the RPD. Questions are forming in his mind, but his mind telling him to turn around and run supersedes those questions. When he tries to do that, though, Leon finds the main door blocked off, even though it was the same one he entered.

Panic surges through Leon, and he works on steadying his shaky breathing while racking his brain for directions to the nearest exit. Remembering the secret passage, Leon starts running. 

That's when he sees the Licker on the other side of the main hall, almost guarding the secret passage. 

 _It's just a Licker. You know what to do_ _,_ Leon thinks to himself, even though he's confused as to why a Licker is here. He creeps across the room, his footsteps light and his gun ready to fire at the creature's exposed brain. Leon's almost to the passage. 

Thunk, thunk, thunk...

Leon knows the Tyrant's coming before it even crashes through the wall behind him. The screech of the Licker and the thump of the Tyrant's boots combined are overwhelming, but Leon still runs. He's one step short from the secret passage when something wet wraps around his ankle and pulls him down, knocking his chin against the edge of the statue pedestal the passage is under. Leon fires blindly at the Licker, but the creature keeps dragging him forward with its slimy tongue. The Licker doesn't get its meal, however, as the Tyrant snatches Leon with one sweep of the arm. The Tyrant's vice-like grip grows stronger around Leon's head while Leon squirms for some kind of weapon to stop the pain. In his struggle, Leon feels a trickle of blood run down his temple, and he wonders if he'll hear his own head explode before he dies. 

* * *

With a scream, Leon escapes from his sweat-soaked bedsheets and sits upright. "Shit," he mutters in between breaths, along with a few other choice words. Still reeling from his nightmare, though, Leon quickly stops talking and quickly but quietly reaches for the handgun in his nightstand drawer. He doesn't get up from his bed, listening for the stomping of boots and the clinking of belt buckles. When those sounds don't appear, Leon carefully presses his feet against the hardwood floor and stands up. He stalks over to the light switch and flips it on, wasting no time to scan every corner of the room for any threats. There aren't any, but it doesn't completely quell the anxiety in Leon. After checking the closet, he prepares to walk into what he hopes will be his living room and kitchen.

Thankfully, the door does lead to the combined living room and kitchen, and there aren't any Tyrants or Lickers in there, either. It's only after checking the bathroom when Leon starts to think how ridiculous he's being, looking for monsters in his pajamas at some ungodly hour. With an annoyed sigh, Leon returns to his bedroom and places the handgun back in its rightful place. The digital clock on the nightstand announces the time to him in bright green numbers. 

_1:58_

Three hours. That's how much sleep Leon got before his mind decided to show a nightmare. He could collapse back onto his bed and try to avoid missing those three extra hours he needs, but one glance at the bed has Leon's body refusing to do such a thing out of fear of seeing another nightmare. 

Pacing back into the living room, Leon opens one of the few windows in his apartment. As he inhales the barely-clean New York air, Leon listens for any sounds of the apocalypse, but all he hears are just the typical sirens and cars and alley cats. These sounds usually annoy Leon, but tonight they're a welcome relief. Well, they were, but now the alley cats' yowling is starting to get grating. After closing the window, Leon looks around the room. When he first moved into this apartment, he didn't mind the small space, as his job doesn't keep him home a lot. Right now, though, the room feels claustrophobic, and Leon's torn between staying inside or going outside to clear his head. His feet take him to the coatrack by his front door and then out of the apartment. 

* * *

Leon didn't plan a route for his walk around his neighborhood. That's probably why he mindlessly walks into the twenty-four-hour bodega. He stops after walking in, as he's not sure if he even wants to buy anything. Looking around, Leon spots a large digital clock on the wall. 

_2:31_

Well, there is something he can buy.

The red demon on the Fireball whiskey bottle glances at Leon, spitting its equally-red flame. Leon stares back at the bottle, his hands at his sides. He's heard the stories about former agents who spiraled into addiction from the stress of their jobs and kept going until they either resigned, got fired, or died. A nagging voice in Leon's head warns him against grabbing the Fireball and paying the thirteen bucks for it and becoming another one of those agents. Then again, he hasn't had a drink in a while, and a few shots of whiskey wouldn't hurt. So, Leon grabs the bottle and walks to the end of the aisle. He's just rounding the corner when someone bumps into him. 

"Hey!" the person cries out. The bottle of whiskey nearly slips from Leon's grasp. 

"Shit, sorry," Leon looks to the person he ran into, and he almost drops the whiskey again. 

"Leon?" Claire Redfield says in disbelief.

"Claire, hey-" Leon stops when Claire suddenly wraps her arms around him in a hug.

"Hi," Claire pulls away from Leon, her hands resting gently on Leon's shoulders. "What are you doing in a bodega at two A.M.?" 

"I was wondering the same thing about you." 

"Oh, you know, just needed a midnight snack." Claire smiles and casually rests against the shelf, but despite Clarie's carefree nature, Leon wonders if it's just a midnight snack she was wanting. "So, what're you doing?" 

"Uh..." Leon casts a quick glance at the whiskey, "something stupid." 

"Oh." Claire doesn't sound judgmental, but she does sound concerned. She lets out a low whistle when she looks at the whiskey. "Fireball, huh? You've ever had it before?"

"Not really."

"It burns like hell." 

"Yeah, I had a hunch it did." Leon catches himself staring at Claire's outfit. 

"What?" 

"Nothing," Leon says bashfully, "it's just, pajama pants and a leather jacket?" 

Claire grins just as bashfully. "What do you mean? Don't you know it's all the rage these days?" she quips, showing off her fuzzy pajama pants and black leather jacket with joking pride. "Besides, sweatpants and a windbreaker are  _so_ last season."

Leon chuckles at Claire's teasing, looking down at his grey sweatpants which technically are his pajama pants. "Guess I need to keep up." 

"Yeah..." Claire's playful smile fades into a curious expression. "Still living in New York, I presume?" 

"Yeah, I just got back home. You visiting?" 

"Mhm. I was meeting up with Chris, since he's leaving with Jill for work tomorrow." Claire taps the toe of her boot against the bodega's linoleum floor. "I was going to try to see you, but you weren't answering your phone."

"Sorry. Work got in the way."

"It's fine. Besides, we're here now." 

"Right." The conversation makes Leon feel like he's back in Raccoon - but in a good way. It feels like he's just a rookie cop again, talking to the charming college girl before everything goes to hell. "How long are you gonna be in town for?"

"I'm leaving the day after tomorrow," Claire glances back at the clock on the wall, "and I guess tomorrow is today, so..."

"Not staying for long."

"Yeah," Claire sighs.

Leon looks down at the whiskey in his hands. "You know, they sell pretty good pizzas here, if you still want that midnight snack."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah, unless you don't like frozen pizza."

"Pizza is pizza. Who cares if it's frozen?"

"In that case," Leon puts the Fireball back in the wrong spot on the liquor shelf, "mind if I buy you one?" 

"Well, since you're offering," Claire smirks. An excited sparkle shines in her eyes at the prospect of getting free pizza. 

Soon enough, Claire decides on a bacon cheeseburger pizza. She places it on the counter in front of the cashier who's been impatiently waiting for either Claire or Leon to make a purchase of any kind. He bluntly states the price, and Leon goes to reach for his wallet. 

"Damn it," Leon whispers.

"Forget something?" Claire asks with a chuckle. 

"I grabbed the wrong jacket." Neither of them notices the cashier exasperatedly roll his eyes. 

"I'll take care of it," Claire assure, taking her own wallet out. She hands over a few bills, and the cashier bags up the pizza, muttering some farewell. Claire and Leon leave the bodega. 

* * *

 "So, I don't think I've seen your new place," Claire states. 

"You should come over sometime," Leon says, even though he and Claire are currently walking in the direction to his apartment. 

"Is it nice?" 

"Yeah, I suppose. A little small, but I hardly notice it."

"Do you still have that housewarming gift I got you?"

Leon chuckles, "Of course." He still remembers Claire giving him the gift- a soft, dark blue comforter- on a day when they were both visiting Sherry.  _It's not much, but I hope you like it._ Leon really did appreciate his only housewarming present. 

"Cool." Claire stuffs her hands into her jacket pockets. She starts walking slower as her eyebrows furrow. "Hey, where are we going?"

Leon matches Claire's pace. "Uh, I guess I don't know, but we are kind of walking to my apartment." 

"Oh, okay."

"Do you want to go back to your hotel?" 

"Nah, not really, if you don't mind." 

"No, it's fine."

"Alright," Claire goes back to a normal speed with Leon, "besides, my hotel room doesn't have an oven."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -This was supposed to be a one-shot, but it was turning out to be too long so this is now a ficlet you're welcome.
> 
> -Yeah, I got REmake2 for my birthday 'cause I wanted it (mainly 'cause I thought Leon was a snack and a half) and basically I stan him and Claire and especially Cleon now.
> 
> -I read this interesting post on Tumblr about how PTSD nightmares aren't actually recounting a traumatic event like it's shown in movies and books and fanfics but are more like taking bits and pieces of the traumatizing things and things that happened recently and making a nightmare out of them. So, I tried to do that with Leon's nightmare at the beginning- because even though Mr. X-Gon-Give-It-To-Ya would roll up in the main hall of the RPD, a Licker most likely wouldn't. Then there's also the running through the streets of an unnamed town and then winding up in the RPD thing.
> 
> -I know that Claire's favorite food is cheeseburgers, but since pizzas are more convenient, I had her choose a cheeseburger pizza. (Fun fact, there's a pizza brand named Jack's that makes really good cheeseburger pizzas)
> 
> -Also, even though Capcom doesn't give us many Cleon interactions (coughor canon games with Clairecough), I like to imagine that Claire and Leon are the friends who have a deep connection with each other because of their experiences at Raccoon, and even though they don't get to see each other all of the time, they're hardly like strangers whenever they see each other again.
> 
> -I really like the part where Claire and Leon are walking to Leon's apartment without even saying anything to each other about it. It shows how in-sync they are and how comfortable they are around each other. 
> 
> -There's something really funny in a cute way about both Claire and Leon visiting a bodega at two in the morning in their pajamas. I got the leather jacket/pajama pants combo from when I wore that one day when I went to get something out of my car. I feel like it'd be very Claire for her to wear that because it's late and no one would judge her. 
> 
> -Shoutout to the exasperated bodega cashier who just wants those two idiots in the liquor aisle to just buy something. 
> 
> -Thanks for reading! Kudos and comments are always appreciated; I love to hear that you liked the story. :)


	2. Chapter 2

When Leon and Claire walk back into Leon's apartment, Claire's quick to notice the temperature. "Holy shit, Leon, do you live with Jack Frost or something?"

Leon smirks at the tease, despite the unease rising in him. "Nope," he says, trying to sound calm as he walks over to the window he opened earlier. Closer inspection reveals it didn't close all the way, leaving a small crack for the chill to infiltrate the apartment. The rational part of Leon's mind tells him that he just didn't close the window well enough, but the irrational side says that someone broke in. Sure, it might not be a trenchcoat-clad freak, but the point still stands. Leon closes the window completely this time, and he wordlessly moves to his bedroom.

Leon's rational mind was right in that nobody is in the bedroom. However, the irrational mind still raises the question of the bathroom. Leon steps out of the bedroom, but not before checking his alarm clock.

_3:07_

"Don't worry; I've already checked the bathroom," Claire assures when she sees Leon step out of the bedroom. She's currently unboxing the frozen pizza.

"That obvious, huh?" Leon questions, a little embarrassed.

"Just a little," Claire smirks. "It's okay, though. I'd be wondering if the same thing if my place was suddenly, like, negative two degrees."

"Yeah, sorry about the cold."

"Don't worry about it. Just get the stove to 425, and we'll be good."

_3:27_

Claire stands near the stove, trying to warm herself while the pizza cooks. A dark blue comforter drapes around her shoulders, and she turns to see Leon standing behind her.

"Figured it'd help you warm up."

Claire wraps the comforter tighter around her, "Thanks." She steps away from the oven and hops up onto the counter, struggling a little with the comforter. "I never realized how soft this was," she states, nuzzling into the comforter.

Leon leans against the counter next to Claire. "Good thing you got it, then."

"Yeah. So," Claire begins, her feet swinging gently over the floor, "what've you been up to?"

"Work," Leon answers with a shrug.

"Well, duh. You haven't had any crazy adventures lately?"

"I mean, I did go to Canada."

"Right, Canada. Famous for maple syrup and international security threats?"

"Pretty much."

"Was it Umbrella?"

Leon sighs, "Who else would it be?"

"Of course."

Leon crosses his arms. "They should be hurting, since their Canada branch is gone." Of course, Leon doesn't fully believe that, as Umbrella always seems to bounce back in some way. "But you didn't hear it from me."

"Obviously."

"So, what have you been doing?"

"Well, I think I might be getting a job soon."

"That's awesome. Where at?"

"TerraSave. They're helping people who've been hurt by Umbrella and the like. I know it's not the same as kicking ass and blowing up labs, but..."

"It's still important."

"Exactly."

"I hope it works out for you, Claire."

"Thanks, Leon."

It's weird for Leon, talking about work. It makes him realize how much has changed for him in five years, and he's not sure how much he likes it right now. Thankfully, he doesn't have to talk about it further, as the oven timer beeps.

"Pizza time," Claire states excitedly.

_3:46_

Claire and Leon sit on the cream-colored sectional that Leon barely managed to fit into his apartment. They've tackled one-fourth of the pizza and show no signs of being finished.

"You're right. They do sell good pizzas there."

"Trust me, I wouldn't lie to you about good pizzas."

Claire smiles as she releases her arm from its comforter cocoon to grab another slice of cheeseburger pizza. It's warmer now thanks to the stove, but Claire hasn't let the comforter leave her shoulders. Leon's worried she's still cold.

"I can turn the heat up on the thermostat, if you want."

"Hm? Oh, you don't have to. I'm okay."

"Okay." Leon watches Claire absentmindedly chew on her pizza while she stares at the television playing a _Friends_ re-run on a low volume. "Something on your mind?"

"I guess," Claire admits with a sigh. "Have you seen Sherry lately?"

Leon shakes his head, remembering the girl he met while escaping Racoon what felt like a lifetime ago. "That Simmons guy hasn't been as gracious with visits as he's been with you."

"Mm," Claire doesn't sound too pleased, "I'll have to have a word with Mr. Simmons, then. You should get to see her, too."

"You don't have to do that for me."

"Well, I'm still planning on talking to him. Sherry's almost an adult; she shouldn't have to be under this stupid custody."

Leon remembered that Sherry's seventeen, and he suddenly wonders where the time's gone. Now, he's wanting Claire to convince Simmons to let Sherry go or at least give him more time to visit her, even though he should tell Claire that Simmons is Sherry's legal guardian and can technically do whatever he wants. Then again, he wouldn't want to tell Claire Redfield, survivor of Raccoon City and overall badass, no.

"Are you going to see her soon?"

"Yeah, after Chris leaves." Claire sets down her half-eaten piece of pizza, appearing to have lost her appetite. "I guess I'm kind of nervous about it."

"Because of Simmons?"

"No, it's not that." Claire lets out a breath, "I'm not really sure why I'm nervous. Maybe it's because I haven't visited in a while."

"She's not mad at you," Leon assures.

"Yeah, you're right." The television struggles to remove the silence that's settled in the room. Leon watches Claire rest her arms and chin on her knees and cast her eyes downward. "I dreamt about her getting taken away again."

Leon remembers that day all too well. After a month of hotel-hopping to get back to the town where Claire's college was, the U.S. government finally caught up to them. The three were quickly put into custody, and there seemed to be no way out. Not wanting Claire to be prevented from finding her brother and living some form of a normal life, Leon took up the ultimatum to become a U.S. agent in exchange for Claire's freedom. Claire didn't like the situation. She didn't want Leon to give up his own chance at a normal life for her, and she definitely didn't want to leave Sherry behind. But Leon assured her multiple times that he'd keep an eye out on Sherry and that he wants Claire to find her brother. So, Claire managed to leave, and Leon became an agent. He tried his best to keep Sherry safe, but he would keep getting assigned to places farther and farther away from her. Leon still feels guilty for it.

"It's not your fault, Claire."

"I know. Still can't help losing sleep over it, though."

"Is that why you went to the bodega?"

"Yeah. I don't really know what I was going to buy, though."

"Me neither." He sees the disbelieving look Claire shoots at him. "Well, not at first." 

"Right." Claire shifts under the comforter, appearing to be hesitant. "Why were you buying whiskey at two in the morning?"

Leon is just as hesitant to answer the question. There's a sense of shame that comes with admitting that he was going to drink himself to sleep, but there's also one that comes with not admitting his own shortcomings. It's a rock and a hard place. "I... had a nightmare," he admits, giving himself a moment to look for a reaction from Claire but only sees her waiting on him to say more, "I was back in the RPD. Had a Licker and a Tyrant on my ass."

This time, Claire reacts with a hiss of a breath, no doubt imaging the deadly combo of Leon's nightmare. 

"I don't know why I still dream about that place," Leon laments. He's wished many times that his nightmares were with the ashes of what was Raccoon City, but no one's given him that mercy. "It's been long enough." 

"Damn right," Claire agrees quietly. Leon looks back at her, sees the sad smile she gives to his living room floor. "I still dream about it too," she finally says. "The sewers, the station, the orphanage," Leon notices her shudder, "all of it."

"I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what?" Claire asks in confusion.

_Sorry for not staying with you in Raccoon City. Sorry I've been so busy with work that I can barely call you. Sorry I can't make the nightmares go away._ "Sorry for reminding you of the nightmares." 

"I'm fine, Leon. You don't need to apologize."

"Okay." 

"Also, drinking 'till you blackout doesn't make them go away," she informs. Leon can hear those unspoken words, their unseen presence like a monster around the corner.  _I would know._  

_I'm sorry I wasn't there for you, Claire_ _._ He wants to say those words, get rid of the presence of the unspoken ones, but he knows she'll chide him for apologizing when he doesn't need to. "What does?" he asks instead.

"Well, when I find out what  _really_ makes them go away, I'll call you." A joking smile graces Claire's lips for a moment. "But honestly, it seems like talking to someone helps keep them away for a night or so."

"Even if you have to run into them at a bodega at two A.M.?"

Claire chuckles, "Or you could just try calling them."

"Fair point." Still, Leon wonders if he'd ever have the time to call someone. _Or_   _you could just not be a wimp and try to talk to your friends._  

"And if that doesn't work, go for a walk, take a few deep breaths, watch some TV," her eyes drift over to the radio resting on the corner of the kitchen counter, "listen to some music."

_3:53_

Leon hovers near Claire, watching her fiddle with the dial on the radio he occasionally used to listen to some of his old CDs. He learned during their time together after Raccoon City that if there's a radio, Claire can only stay away from it for so long. In the abandoned car they used to travel, Claire tuned the radio to the first rock station she could find. When they were in a cheap motel room with an equally cheap radio, a jazz or easy listening station would lull her to sleep. In her college dorm that Leon only got to visit once before the government showed up, Claire had a radio. He shouldn't be surprised that Claire's found her way to his radio.

"Is there even anything good playing at this time?" he asks.

"You never know," Claire, free from the comforter, retorts as she tunes in to a country music station. With a scrunch of her nose, she quickly changes the station. The sound of some top 40s hit starts to fill the room, and Claire hums in approval. 

"No rock and roll?"

"I like this song." She shimmies her shoulders to the song. 

"So, this helps make the nightmares go away?" Leon teases, mimicking Claire's shoulder-shimmy. 

Claire laughs, "Probably not, but it's fun." She dances a little more to the song, even if most of her moves involve some form of moving her shoulders.

The dancing Claire before him calls to mind the day at her college dorm. He stood against the wall of the small room and watched while Claire and Sherry danced around to a song that Sherry liked, her young mind not even noticing the innuendos in the song. It felt like the calm after the storm of zombies and injuries and cheap motel rooms. Even though things were still uncertain with regards to their future, Claire and Sherry happily dancing to some 80s song made Leon want to tell the future to wait. Of course, his mind still wandered to those uncertainties until Claire told him to join her and Sherry.

Now, Claire stands in front of Leon, holding her hand out in invitation.

"Care to dance, Leon?" 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -Ohohoho cliffhanger... but it's not really that dramatic though so oh well.  
> -I once read a headcanon about Claire getting cold really easily, and I just thought it was a cute concept.  
> -I wanted to make the discussion about getting rid of nightmares one-sided, I suppose? By that I mean I wanted to make it known that Claire also struggles with the trauma and nightmares and that she's also struggled with finding healthy coping mechanisms and that this isn't a Leon-only problem. Equality, am I right?  
> -Also, I feel that because of his desire to help people, Leon will feel incredibly guilty if he doesn't feel like he's lived up to that goal of his. Obviously, he can't help every person, but it's not his fault.  
> -Also also, I watched the ending of the Darkside Chronicles game, and it's very suspicious to me how the U.S. government just kinda tells Leon to basically work for them or else. I think that's kind of a bogus thing to do, so I wanted to make Leon's job as an agent something that encroaches on his social life like how the government encroached on the course of his life. So even though Leon is helping to stop bioweapon production and whatnot, he's barely been able to find time to talk to his friends, and it bothers him.  
> -We need more love for the Claire-Leon-Sherry dynamic because I love found families. I like to believe that Leon would 800% try to keep Sherry safe, but then she ends up in custody of that Simmons dude and then he's barely given any time to visit her and then he keeps getting assigned to all of these faraway places.  
> -Anywho, I'm tired as of writing this, so I think I'll stop trying to scramble for commentary. Please feel free to give me some kudos or even put in a comment. Thanks for reading!


	3. Chapter 3

Leon looked at Claire's outstretched hand. He doesn't really dance, both out of a lack of chances to do so and an embarrassment over his lack of dancing skills. Still, he'd hate to deny Claire. 

"I'm a shit dancer," he admits, taking hold of Claire's hand.

"That makes two of us." Claire leads Leon into twirling her. She keeps hold of his hand while standing an arm's reach away from him. Getting nearer to Leon, Claire leads him in a dance that's in no way graceful. It's rather silly, and Leon chuckles at their ridiculous dance. Claire joins him, her laugh carrying an unexpected warmth. Leon could get used to dancing if it's anything like right now. 

_4:12_

Eventually, Claire and Leon stopped dancing, having worn themselves out. They're back on the couch again, the radio still playing music at a lower volume. Leon can feel his eyelids getting heavy, but he doesn't want to go to sleep just yet.

"I made Sherry a mixtape," Claire says without prompt.

"A mixtape?"

"Well, it's more like a mix-CD, but still. I found a CD in a Goodwill a couple of weeks ago that had that song we listened to in my dorm after Raccoon, and I figured I'd make one that has all of her favorite songs on it. I'm going to give it to her when I see her." 

"Do you have that Backstreet Boys' song on there?"

"Shit, I forgot about that one!"

Leon's referring to the song that came on the radio while they were driving in their totally-not-stolen-because-it-was-abandoned car to the nearest and safest town. It turned out that Sherry really liked the Backstreet Boys, and even though hadn't slept for a whole day and had their own injuries to recover from, the three survivors sang "Everybody" like nothing was wrong. The memory still brings a smile to Leon's face. 

"Well, if you ever make her a mixtape, you can put that song on there," Claire states. 

"If I ever find the time."

"You will. You can't let your job take over your life, Leon."

"I try." He does, really, but time seems to move much faster in between missions, as much as he doesn't want it to. 

"Good." Claire pauses, considering something. "I'm going to have Simmons let you see Sherry. Maybe not now, but soon."

"You think so?"

"Know so," Claire answers with a wink. "In the meantime, you can get your mixtape put together."

Leon chuckles, "I don't think I know how to put one together."

Claire stares at him in disbelief. "A government agent, and you don't know how to burn songs onto a CD?" she shakes her head, "You're something else, Leon."

"You, too, Claire." 

_4:49_

Claire's voice is thick with sleepiness when she says the words "Hey, Leon?"

"Yeah?" 

"I'm glad I ran into you at the bodega." 

Leon smiles lazily, "Me too. This has been way better than what I was going to do." 

"Mhm." She stretches across the couch, her head close to Leon's thigh. "Can you tell me you're not going to be someone who tries to drink his problems away?" 

"Of course," Leon assures quickly, "I was just being a dumbass." 

"Good. I just... worry, I guess." 

"I know." 

Claire places her arm under her head. "So, when are we going to see each other again?" 

"I don't know." 

"That's reassuring." 

"I try." Leon flicks an invisible speck of dust off of his pants. "Why do you want to know?"

Claire gives him an incredulous look. "Gee, I don't know. Maybe 'cause you're my friend and I like having you around."

"Okay, fair point." 

"Besides, who else will offer to buy frozen pizza for me at two in the morning?"

"Even though I forget to bring my wallet?"

"Sure." A smile breaks out on Claire's face. "It's the thought that counts." 

"Right." 

"Really, though, I've missed hanging out with you." 

Leon's missed it, too. Sometimes he finds himself thinking back on those happy moments after Raccoon City, and he wants to have moments like that again. There's something about Claire's personality that just wants him to be around her all the time. Of course, he can't, but Leon worries that his job is stopping him from keeping his friends. "I've missed you too, Claire."

Looking down, Leon finds that Claire's fallen asleep. He thinks he should wake her up but doesn't when he considers the fact that she's been up all night. Instead, he takes the comforter and gently places it over Claire.

* * *

Claire groggily wakes up at the sound of her ringtone that she remembers is for Chris. Without opening her eyes, she swipes her phone off of the coffee table. 

"Hello?"

"Claire, are you okay?" Chris asks with concern. "Are you in your hotel room?"

"Mm, no. I'm at Leon's place."

"Leon? Leon Kennedy?"

"Uh-huh. We had pizza at his place last night."

"Okay then. Where is Leon's place?"

Claire racks her sleep-addled brain for the memory of Leon's address. "Uh, it's on 42nd Street. Green building, apartment 302."

"Alright. Jill and I will see you soon. Try to be awake when we get there, okay?"

"Okay," Claire says, already falling back asleep. She hangs up and barely rests her phone back on the table. Her head is pressed up against what feels like a bit of a lumpy pillow that Leon must have given her. Nevertheless, she still adjusts herself so that she can wrap her arms around this pillow before falling back asleep.

* * *

"Should we wake them up?"

"Our flight leaves in an hour, Jill, and I still haven't had breakfast."

"They just look so peaceful, though." 

Jill Valentine and Chris Redfield stand across from the couch where Claire and Leon are in fact sleeping. The two do look rather peaceful, really. Claire has her arms wrapped around Leon's middle, and Leon has sunk a little into the couch, one hand holding onto Claire's arm and the other draped across the back of the couch. 

"So, would you like the honor?" Jill asks, gesturing to the two asleep on the couch.

"Sure," Chris answers, a playful smirk on his lips. He approaches Claire and shakes her by the shoulder. "Rise and shine, Claire." 

Claire moans in protest. "No..."

"Well, you leave me no choice." Chris takes out his phone, turns the volume up, and plays an obnoxious ringtone that came with the phone. He couples the ringtone with shaking Claire some more. "Wake up, wake up, wake up," he chants, hearing Jill chuckling behind him. Through all of this, Leon has not moved an inch.

"Alright, I'm up!" Claire complains, opening her eyes. It's then when she realizes that she's been using Leon as a pillow in her sleep. She pulls her arms away from him in a way that hopefully doesn't indicate that she's embarrassed that her brother found curled around her friend like a koala.

"Morning, sunshine," Chris jokes. 

"What time is it?" she asks.

"Nine o'clock," Jill answers. She casts a glance at Leon. "Looks like Leon's a deep sleeper." 

"Huh?" Claire looks to the still-sleeping Leon, "Oh, yeah." She places her hand on Leon's shoulder and gently shakes him. "Hey, Leon, wake up."

Leon wakes with a start. "Wha-?" he looks around and notices the two other guests in his apartment. "Uh, hi." 

Jill laughs lightly, "All of that noise, and yet he wakes up at the slightest shake." 

Leon looks confused. "Okay. It's Jill, right?"

"Yup." 

"How did you and Chris get into my place?" 

"I picked the lock to your door. You guys weren't answering the door."

"Oh. Sorry."

Jill shrugs, "Don't worry about it." She glances down at her wristwatch, "Hey, Chris, we should get going if we want to get pancakes before our flight."

"Pancakes?" Claire asks.

"Yeah. I'm not skipping breakfast," Chris states. "You coming with us?"

Claire nods, enticed by the thought of a stack of pancakes drenched in syrup.

"Let's go, then." Chris offers his hand to Claire and helps her up. "You too, Leon."

"Me?" 

"Yeah." Chris pulls Leon off of the couch, "C'mon, sleepyhead, I am starving."

"Alright, alright."

Chris and Jill make their way out of Leon's apartment. Claire and Leon follow them, and they share a smile as Leon helps Claire into her leather jacket. 

"Still going to wear that outfit?" Leon asks jokingly, glancing at Claire's pajama pants.

"Of course. Besides, I'm not gonna be the only one who looks like they just woke up," she teases with a wink. 

"Fair point." Absentmindedly, Leon tries to fix his hair. 

"Well, Leon," Claire reaches up and fixes his hair like she's done it before, "let's go get breakfast, yeah?" 

"Sounds like a plan, Claire." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -Me finishing a multi-chapter fic? On my AO3? It's more likely than you think.  
> -This chapter was kind of short but it's like the last one so it's fine (right?).  
> -Lowkey I really like the concept of two characters who fall asleep next to each other and then wind up cuddling kind of and it doesn't matter if it's romantic or platonic I just think it's super duper cute.  
> -You won't see it but Chris will tease Claire for using Leon as a pillow and will be asking why she was at his apartment because he is the older brother.  
> -Also Valenfield is a Concept™  
> -Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this little ficlet, and feel free to express your love through kudos and comments! :)


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